医院中子照射器性能与特性

介绍了医院中子照射器及其相关系统的设计情况,描述了医院中子照射器的性能和特性。为验证医院中子照射器的固有安全特性,进行了4.2 mk反应性释放实验。实验结果表明,反应堆功率快速上升,在229 s时,功率达到85.7 kW峰值,随后,由于燃料元件多普勒效应和慢化剂的负温度效应会非能动地把功率限制在允许的安全水平之下。满功率运行时,各个工艺房间γ剂量率小于1μSv/h,且中子剂量率为本底水平,具有低辐射特点。     

BNCT医院中子照射器辐射场特性参数初步测量

为验证BNCT医院中子照射器的设计效果,对其辐射场的特性参数如中子能谱、中子通量密度及其空间分布、中子和γ吸收剂量率及其空间分布等进行了测量。针对该照射器的特点,建立了一套由多球谱仪、235U裂变电离室、金箔、组织等效正比计数器和热释光探测器组成的测量系统,利用蒙特卡洛计算方法优化设计探测器的结构,以提高超热能区的分辨率和甄别不同能量成分中子的能力。初步测量结果表明,该照射器的中子通量密度达到了预期设计要求。     

WIMS/CITATION在IHNI-1堆芯物理计算中的应用

建立了利用WIMS+CITATION计算医院中子照射器Ⅰ型堆堆芯中子学参数的模型,计算了堆芯的功率分布、顶铍反应性价值、控制棒价值、温度系数、堆芯燃耗等中子学参数,计算结果与文献数据一致,表明文章所建立的计算模型可用于医院中子照射器I型堆堆芯的物理计算。     

低浓化医院中子照射器（IHNI-1）堆芯的物理方案设计

采用蒙特卡罗程序MCNP／4B模拟计算了功率为30kW的低浓化医院中子照射器的堆芯物理参数,设计了合理的堆芯布置方案、235U富集度、控制棒价值、后备反应性和停堆深度,得到固有安全性较高、寿期达10年且无需换料、采用低浓化UO2燃料的医院中子照射器的堆芯物理设计方案,为后续反应堆工程设计以及硼中子俘获治疗肿瘤用中子束的设计提供理论依据。     

医院中子照射器PGNAA系统初步设计及测量

完成了医院中子照射器(IHNI)瞬发γ中子活化分析(PGNAA)系统的初步设计,并按照设计完成系统搭建。该系统探测器屏蔽部分和中子束屏蔽部分内层均为天然LiF粉末,外层为铅屏蔽层。使用该系统进行的硼浓度测量实验结果表明,该系统可测量10B浓度为10 ppm(1 ppm=10-6),体积为2 mL的样品,10B元素测量灵敏度为0.822 cps(s-1)/ppm。同时发现天然LiF粉末会在待测能区产生较高本底,影响测量精度。     

医院中子照射器建造

医院中子照射器装置于2007年开始建造,2008年12月完成了反应堆厂房建造,2009年3月完成了相关系统的安装和调试。2009年12月7日首次达到临界,2010年1月22日达到满功率运行。物理调试结果表明,医院中子照射器反应堆最终后备反应性为4.2 mk,满功率最大可连续运行时间为12 h,功率波动小于0.3%;4.2 mk反应性释放实验表明,反应堆在229 s时达到85.7 kW的最大峰值功率,随后,由于燃料元件多普勒效应和慢化剂的负温度效应会非能动地把功率限制在允许的安全水平之下,反应堆具有良好的固有安全特性。     

迈入新世纪的硼中子俘获疗法（BNCT）

扼要叙述进入21世纪之际,硼中子俘获疗法(boron neutorn capture therapy,BNCT)在国际范围内的一些显著进展,包括BNCT的临床定位、肿瘤复发的探索、硼浓度的定量探测、靶向掺硼药物的开发以及我国医院中子照射器的问世.这些BNCT长期开发中的瓶颈趋于缓解,预示了BNCT个性化与例行化的前景更为清晰.     

基于MCNP和ORIGEN2耦合程序的IHNI-1型堆裂变产物中毒及燃耗分析

为了准确地计算反应堆的裂变产物中毒和燃耗问题,开发了一套蒙特卡罗方法程序系统.利用通用的燃耗计算方法,基于MCNP和ORIGEN2,编写了相关的数据转换、截面修正、数据接口程序,实现了MCNP和ORIGEN2程序的耦合.采用堆芯精细结构划分,对医院中子照射器Ⅰ型堆裂变产物中毒和燃耗进行了计算分析.     

致力项目开发点燃发展引擎——多种核能与核技术新项目开发概要

作为中国核工程开发海外市场的旗舰,中原对外工程有限公司将项目开发作为发展引擎,在百万千瓦级核电项目开发、研究性核反应堆项目开发、多功能医院中子照射器开发研究及多用途模块式小型反应堆项目开发工作中不懈努力,为和平利用核能、核技术做出贡献.     

医院中子照射器I型堆堆芯热工水力分析

针对医院中子照射器Ⅰ型堆(IHNI-1)的堆芯特点和运行工况,建立了适用于IHNI-1反应堆堆芯的热工分析模型,并对模型进行了验证.利用所建模型,计算了 IHNI-1反应堆堆芯热工参数.最后分析了IHNI-1反应堆堆芯入口流量对堆芯出口温度的影响,同时给出了堆芯发生过冷沸腾时的功率计算结果.     

Nuclear-physical properties of borobasalt systems containing radioactive waste components

A significant nuclear-physical feature of boron-containing systems, distinguishing them from all other, except fluoride, systems, is considerable flux of fast neutrons generated by the (α,n) reaction on boron nuclei. The neutron flux generated on boron nuclei is higher by approximately an order of magnitude than that excited on nuclei of other components of the borobasalt matrix. The calculated and measured neutron flux values are well consistent. The neutron generation is mainly determined by the reaction of α-particles with O, Si, and Al nuclei and is thus characteristic of any aluminosilicate system.     

Moiré effects in neutron interferometry and their use in the experimental search for an electric charge of the neutron

The operation of neutron interferometers is analyzed with particular emphasis on the Moiré effects present. The high sensitivity of neutron interferometers to deflection of the incident and propagating beams is shown to make these instruments a promising tool in the experimental search for an electric charge on the neutron. The corresponding estimates for interferometers of different types are given.It is shown that by using diffraction grating interferometers for very cold neutrons, the present-day upper limit for the neutron charge can be lowered by several orders of magnitude.     

The calibration of Bonner sphere spectrometer

Bonner sphere spectrometer (BSS) is used in radiation protection measurement because of its wide energy range (thermal to MeV) and easy operation. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has used BSS to obtain neutron spectrum and has used the neutron spectrum to estimate neutron dose or induced activity. Calibration of BSS is important to estimate precise neutron dose or induced activity. MHI BSS was calibrated at National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST). The calibration results at AIST are in good agreement with calculation results.     

Top Loading Cryogen Free Cryostat for Low Temperature Sample Environment

Today almost a quarter of all neutron scattering experiments performed at neutron scattering facilities require sample temperatures below 2 K. However, a global shortage of helium gas can seriously jeopardise low temperature experimental programmes at neutron scattering laboratories. Luckily the progress in cryo-cooler technology offers a new generation of cryogenic systems with significantly reduced consumption and in some cases nearly a complete elimination of cryogens. Here we discuss design and test results of a new cryogen free top-loading cryostat developed through an ISIS and Oxford Instruments collaborative project. The cryostat provides neutron scattering sample environment in the temperature range 1.4–300 K. High cooling power (0.23 W at temperature less than 2 K) achieved at the cryostat’s variable temperature insert heat exchanger allows operation of a standard dilution refrigerator insert in a continuous regime. From a user perspective, the system offers operating parameters very similar to those of an Orange cryostat but without the complication of cryogens.     

Soft error modeling and analysis of the Neutron Intercepting Silicon Chip (NISC)

Soft errors are transient errors caused due to excess charge carriers induced primarily by external radiations in the semiconductor devices. Soft error phenomena could be used to detect thermal neutrons with a neutron monitoring/detection system by enhancing soft error occurrences in the memory devices. This way, one can convert all semiconductor memory devices into neutron detection systems. Such a device is being developed at The Pennsylvania State University and named Neutron Intercepting Silicon Chip (NISC). The NISC is envisioning a miniature, power efficient, and active/passive operation neutron sensor/detector system. NISC aims to achieve this goal by introducing ¹⁰B-enriched Borophosphosilicate Glass (BPSG) insulation layers in the semiconductor memories. In order to model and analyze the NISC, an analysis tool using Geant4 as the transport and tracking engine is developed for the simulation of the charged particle interactions in the semiconductor memory model, named NISC Soft Error Analysis Tool (NISCSAT). A simple model with ¹⁰B-enriched layer on top of the lumped silicon region is developed in order to represent the semiconductor memory node. Soft error probability calculations were performed via the NISCSAT with both single node and array configurations to investigate device scaling by using different node dimensions in the model. Mono-energetic, mono-directional thermal and fast neutrons are used as the neutron sources. Soft error contribution due to the BPSG layer is also investigated with different ¹⁰B contents and the results are presented in this paper.     

Neutron spectrometry in a PET cyclotron with a Bonner sphere system

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a non-invasive medical imaging technique normally used for diagnostic purposes to determine the location and concentration of physiologically active compounds in a human body. An unshielded cyclotron is used for PET at the Clinica Universitaria de Navarra to produce short-lived positron emitting radionuclides ((15)O, (13)N, (11)C and (18)F) by bombarding appropriate target material with proton or deuteron beams with energies up to 18 and 9 MeV, respectively. Subsequent nuclear reactions may generate undesirable neutrons that should be evaluated and controlled. In this study, the neutron measurements performed with an active and a passive Bonner sphere systems at different locations outside and inside the cyclotron vault during operation have been presented. The neutron spectrum at each location was determined with an unfolding code developed by the authors.     

A comparison of performance between organic scintillation crystals and moderated He-based detectors for fission neutron detection

Direct detection of fast neutrons using organic scintillators is one alternative to moderated thermal neutron detectors deployed to detect fission neutrons—a relevant question in light of dwindling ³He supplies. Recent developments in materials science have demonstrated the capability to grow larger crystals in reasonable times. In light of these developments, this study compares the relative performance of a ³He-based neutron module from a commercially available portal monitor with a theoretical organic scintillator of similar overall size. Stilbene serves as a benchmark with its performance estimated from a combination of energy deposition modeled by radiation transport calculations and an assumption of the lowest neutron energy at which pulse shape discrimination can effectively separate neutron and gamma-ray events. Before intrinsic detection efficiencies on par with moderated detector systems can be achieved, the results point to the need for further advances including significant increases in detector size, especially thickness, and/or lower pulse shape discrimination thresholds.